IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


A 


1.0 


I.I 


S   m   12.0 

US 


m 


1.25  III  1.4      1.6 

^ 

6"     

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PhotograpMc 

Sciences 

Corporation 


^^ 


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33  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTfeii.N.Y.  14SS0 

(716)  87^-4503 


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I/. 


^ 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVI/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historicai  IMicroreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiquas 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notaa/Notas  tachniquaa  at  bibliographiquas 


Tha  Inatituta  haa  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  baat 
original  copy  avaiiaJla  for  filming.  Faaturaa  of  thia 
copy  which  may  ba  bibiiographicaliy  uniqua, 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagaa  in  tha 
raproduction.  or  which  may  significantly  ehanga 
tha  uaual  mathod  of  filming,  aro  ehaclcad  balow. 


□    Colourad  covars/ 
Couvortura  da  couiaur 


nn    Covars  damagad/ 


D 


D 
D 


D 


D 


Couvartura  andommagia 

Covars  raatorad  and/or  laminatad/ 
Couvartura  raataur^  at/ou  palliculAa 


r~n    Covar  titia  miaaing/ 


La  titra  da  couvartura  manqua 


Colourad  mapa/ 

Cartaa  giographiquaa  1%  couiaur 


Colourad  ink  (i.a.  othar  than  biua  or  blacic)/ 
Encra  da  couiaur  (i.a.  autra  qua  blaua  ou  noira) 


I — I   Colourad  platas  and/or  illuatrationa/ 


Planchaa  at/ou  illuatrationa  mt  couiaur 

Bound  with  othar  matariai/ 
RaliA  avac  d'autraa  documants 

Tight  binding  may  causa  shadows  or  distortion 
along  intarior  margin/ 

La  r0  liura  sarrAa  paut  cauaar  da  i'ombra  ou  da  la 
distoraion  la  long  da  la  marga  intiriaura 

Blanic  laavaa  addad  during  rastoration  may 
appaar  within  tha  taxt.  Whanavar  posaibla.  thasa 
hava  baan  omittad  from  filming/ 
II  sa  paut  qua  cartainas  pagaa  blanchaa  ajoutAaa 
lors  d'una  raatauration  apparaiaaant  dana  la  taxta, 
mala,  lorsqua  cala  itait  poaaibla.  caa  pagaa  n'ont 
iim  itt  filmias. 

Additional  commants:/ 
Commantairaa  supplAmantairas: 


L  Institut  a  microfilm*  la  maillaur  axempiaira 
qu'il  lui  a  ttt  possibia  da  sa  procurar.  Las  details 
da  cat  axampiaira  qui  sont  paut-Atra  uniquas  du 
point  da  vua  bibliographiqua.  qui  pauvent  modifier 
una  imaga  raproduita,  ou  qui  pauvant  axigar  una 
modification  dans  la  mAthoda  normala  da  filmaga 
sont  indiquto  ci-daasous. 


r~1   Colourad  pagas/ 


D 


This  itam  is  filmed  at  tha  reduction  ratio  chaclced  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  da  reduction  indiqui  ci-daasous. 


Pagaa  da  couleur 

Pagaa  damaged/ 
Pagaa  andommagies 


□    Pagaa  raatorad  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurtes  at/ou  pailiculiea 

0    Pagaa  discolonred.  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  dAcoiortes,  tachaties  ou  piquAes 

Pages  d^tachtes 

Showthrough/ 
Tranaparance 

Quality  of  prir 

Qualiti  in^gala  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materfi 
Comprend  du  mattriai  suppiimentaira 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Mition  disponible 


I — I  Pages  detached/ 

FT]  Showthrough/ 

rn  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

nn  Includes  supplementary  matarai/ 

I — I  Only  edition  available/ 


Pagaa  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc..  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Lea  pagea  totalement  ou  pariiellement 
obacurcias  par  un  fauillet  d'errata,  una  peiure, 
etc..  ont  iti  film^s  A  nouveau  de  fapon  A 
obtanir  la  mailleure  image  possible. 


T 
s 
T 
vt 

IV 
di 
ei 
b( 

rll 
re 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

y 

12X 

itx 

% 

20X 

24X 

28X 

32X 

The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

National  Library  of  Canada 


L'exemplaire  filmA  fut  reproduit  grAce  A  la 
ginArositi  de: 

Bibliothdque  nationale  du  Canada 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  iteeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  6tA  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin.  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
de  la  netteti  de  I'exempialre  f  ilmA,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  wit'i  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustratejl  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Les  exempiaires  originaux  ddnt  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimte  sont  filmfo  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustratlon,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Toua  les  autres  exempiaires 
originaux  sont  fllm6s  en  commenpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'iliustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaltra  sur  la 
derniire  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  seion  le 
cas:  le  symbols  —►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  Sn  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
filmfo  A  dee  taux  de  reduction  diffArents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichA,  il  est  fllmA  A  partir 
de  Tangle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


1 

2 

3 

32X 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

I 


•  §K: 


irief  fistos  flf  Jing  |P|,'s 


ar. 


BY 


GEORGE  M.  BODGE. 


BRIEF     HISTORY 


Of 


h  .."J 


KING   PHILIP'S   WAR. 


1675— 1677. 


Being  a  Summary  of  the  Articles  appearing  in  the 

New-England  Historical  and  Genealogical 

Register,  from  1883  to  1891, 

under  the  title 

"  Soldiers  in  King  Philip's   War." 


I. 


BY 

GEORGE  M.  BODGE. 


s;- 


BOSTON : 

PRIVATELY   PRINTED. 

189  1. 


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BRIEF  HISTORY  OF  KING  PHILIPS  WAR. 


i'. 


The  sole  object  of  this  series  of  papers  was,  at  the  beginning, 
the  preservation  in  convenient  form  of  the  names  of  those  sol- 
diers who  served  in  the  Indian  War  of  1675-7,  known  as  "King 
Philip's  War";  so  called  from  the  name  of  the  recognized  leader 
of  that  war,  whose  Indian  name  was  Metacom  or  Pometacom,  or 
Metacomet ;  but  whom  the  English  called  Philip.  He  was  the 
second  son  of  Massasoit,  who  at  the  settlement  of  the  English  at 
Plymouth  and  Boston  seems  to  have  been  chief  sachem  of  all  the 
various  tribes  and  fragments  of  tribes  living  between  the  Charles 
River  and  Narraganset  Bay,  and  including  that  part  of  Khode 
Island  east  of  the  Bay,  and  also  the  Cape  Cod  tribes.  The  rule  of 
Massasoit  was  probably  rather  indefinite  both  as  to  limits  of  territory 
and  extent  of  authority  over  the  subordinate  chiefs.  While  Massa- 
soit seems  to  have  been  the  acknowledged  head  of  the  tribes  within 
the  limits  above  named,  the  league  between  the  chiefs  of  the  tribes 
was  evidently  very  loose,  and  held  mostly  for  conv?uience  in 
defence,  and  perhaps  for  the  settlement  of  difficulties  b>.  i.iV>en  indi- 
vidual tribes.  The  territory  of  this  Sachem  was  bounded  ipon  the 
west  by  the  Nipmucks  and  Narragansets.  But  a  very  great  propor- 
tion of  this  had  been  sold  by  the  Sachems  before  the  opening  of  the 
war.  Massasoit  had  several  children,  three  of  whom  are  known  to 
us  by  name ;  Wamsutta  and  Metacom,  who  came  to  Plymouth 
about  1656  and  at  their  own  request  received  English  names  from 
the  Governor,  who  " christened "  them  "Alexander"  and  "Philip."  A 
sister  of  these  was  the  wife  of  Tuspaquin,  chief  of  the  Namaskets  ;  she 
was  called  by  the  English  "  Amie."  Mention  is  made  of  another  son 
and  also  a  daughter,  but  I  have  not  proper  authority  for  their  names. 
Alexander  married  a  Sachem's  daughter,  or  widow,  of  the  Pocasset 
tribe,  and  after  his  death,  soon  following  Massasoit's,  1661  or  '62,  she 
returned  to  her  own  people,  and  ruled  there  with  influence  and 
ability  until  the  war ;  when  her  second  husband,  Petananuet,  Petono- 
wowett,  or  "Peter  Nunnuit"  (as  he  is  sometimes  called),  took  sides 


'  f  ■ 

i.. 


'f.' 


I 


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KINO   rillLirs   WAR. 


fy 


with  the  Enfjlirth,  she,  possibly  reluctantly,  joined  the  fortunes  of 
Philip,  who  hud  married  her  sister  VVootonekanuske,  and  had  great 
inHuence  with  her. 

Miissusoit  had  always  maintained  a  cordial  and  firm  friendship 
with  the  English  ;  and  it  would  seem  that  Alexander  also  was  some- 
what of  his  father's  nature  and  disposition.  The  moment,  however, 
which  saw  Phili|)  raised  to  the  place  of  power,  gave  signal  of  a  far 
different  course  of  conduct  on  the  part  of  the  Wampanoag  Sachem. 
The  limits  of  his  father's  olden  territory  had  been  greatly  reduced 
before  he  came  to  power.  The  English  had  purchased  and  other- 
wise absorbed  a  largo  proportion  of  their  lands.  Philip  kept  on 
selling  and  surrendering,  till  at  last,  as  early  as  1670-1,  he  began 
to  feel  the  pressure  of  civilization  upon  their  hunting  and  fishing 
grounds  as  well  as  cornfields.  The  Court  at  Plymouth  itself  had 
interfered  and  forbidden  the  transfer  of  certain  parts  of  the  Wam- 
panoag territories,  and  thus  doubtless  saved  the  Indians  in  various 
tribes  a  home.  Pokanoket,  the  hereditary  home,  was  thus  saved  to 
Philip's  people  ;  and  here  he  lived  at  the  time  of  the  opening  of  the 
war.  This  place  was  called  by  the  English  "Mount  Hope,"  and  it 
is  now  embraced  in  the  town  of  Bristol,  R.  I. 

But  now  having  given  some  account  of  the  principal  character  in 
the  war,  we  may  state  briefly  the  method  of  collecting  the  material 
in  these  papers,  and  the  purpose  of  this  present  pamphlet. 

Tiie  method  adopted  in  arranging  the  soldier's  names  needs  ex- 
planation. The  material  which  served  as  the  basis  of  the  work,  and 
indeed  first  suggested  the  undertaking,  was  found  in  three  manu- 
script volumes,  containing  the  accounts  of  John  Hull,  who  was  the 
Treasurer  of  the  colony  at  the  time  of  the  war.  These  volumes  are 
devoted  to  the  accounts  pertaining  to  the  war,  and  consist  of  a 
Journal  and  two  Ledgers.  The  Journal  was  opened  June  24th,  1675, 
and  originally  contained  over  five  hundred  pages,  as  the  Ledger 
shows,  but  now  has  only  four  hundred  and  sixty-one  complete. 
There  was  evidently  a  later  Journal  and  also  a  Ledger,  now  missing, 
which  belonged  to  the  set.  The  third  book  is  later,  and  contains  the 
closing  accounts  in  the  war.  These  old  books  were  preserved  in 
private  hands  for  a  century  and  a  half,  until  discovered  by  one  who 
appreciated  their  value  for  genealogy  and  history,  and  secured  them 
for  those  purposes.  In  searching  these  books  for  the  name  of  one  who 
served  in  the  Indian  war,  the  present  writer  discovered  the  impor- 
tance of  the  accounts  in  the  matter  of  the  Indian  war  of  1675.  Every 
soldier  who  served  in  that  war  is  credited  with  military  service,  and 
the  name  of  the  officer  under  whom  he  served  is  given  in  the  credit. 
The  date  at  which  payment  is  made  is  given  in  the  "Cash"  account, 
but  the  time  and  place  of  service  is  not  designated ;  nor  is  the 
residence  nor  any  further  information  about  the  soldier  given. 
Some  of  the  soldiers  served  at  different  times  and  under  diflferent 
officers.     The  best  method  therefore  of  arranging  the  men  in  com- 


KINO   PHILIPS   WAR. 


8 


panics  wna  found  to  be  that  of  following  the  names  of  the  officers  as 
they  occur  in  the  credits.  The  names  were  tlms  {gathered  from  the 
Journal,  and  placed  in  companies  with  their  officers.  Then  the 
fortunes  of  each  company  were  followed  as  carefully  as  po8f<ible 
throughout  the  several  campaigns  of  tlie  war.  Hut  it  was  found 
that  a  great  amount  of  unpublished  material  is  still  preserved  in  our 
State  Archives,  County  and  Town  Records ,  and  elsewhere  ;  and 
this,  in  the  light  of  the  great  number  of  names  identified  in  these 
credits  as  soldiers,  becomes  available  and  interesting  as  history. 
Additional  material  has  been  gathered  and  incorporated  here  from 
all  sources,  whenever  it  would  add  to  the  sum  of  knowledge  con- 
cerning the  war. 

The  officers  and  soldiers,  many  of  them,  served  in  several,  some 
in  all  the  different  campaigns  ;  and  thus  in  following  their  fortunes,  it 
was  necessary  to  go  over  the  same  events  many  times,  so  as  to 
marshal  the  various  companies  in  order  in  the  military  operations. 

It  will  be  seen  that  by  this  method  of  arrangement,  a  great 
amount  of  important  material  has  been  massed  together  conveniently 
for  the  study  of  history,  while  the  story  of  the  war  has  not  been 
followed  by  consecutive  events,  but  according  to  the  experience  of 
individual  officers  and  companies.  It  is  proposed  in  this  introductory 
chapter  to  give  a  brief  account  of  the  war,  following  events  in  order 
as  nearly  as  possible.  It  will  not  be  necessary  to  discuss  the  causes 
leading  up  to  the  war.  It  is  enough  to  say  here,  that  the  English 
had  assumed  the  government  of  the  country,  and  followed  their 
course  of  settlement  with  small  regard  to  the  rights  of  the  natives. 
In  some  of  the  plantations,  the  settlers  purchased  their  lands  of  the 
Indians,  as  a  matter  of  precaution  ;  partly  that  they  might  have  that 
show  of  title  in  case  any  other  claim  should  be  set  up  in  opposition 
to  theirs,  and  partly  to  conciliate  the  savages,  whose  hostility  they 
feared,  and  whose  friendship  was  profitable  in  the  way  of  trade,  in 
furs  and  other  products  of  the  hunt.  The  Indians  were  always  at 
disadvantage  with  the  English,  in  all  the  arts  of  civilized  life.  The 
English  paid  no  heed  tf  (»  Jian  laws  or  customs  or  traditions ;  and 
ruthlessly  imposed  their  own  laws,  customs  and  religious  ideas,  with 
no  apparent  thought  of  their  intolerance  and  injustice.  They  made 
treaties  with  the  savages  in  the  same  terms  which  they  would  have 
used  had  they  been  dealing  with  a  civilized  nation.  They  made 
out  deeds,  in  language  which  only  the  learned  framers  themselves 
could  understand.  In  brief,  the  Pilgrims  and  Puritans  mostly 
looked  upon  the  Indians  as  heathen,  whose  "inheritance"  God 
meant  to  give  to  his  people,  as  of  old  he  had  dealt  with  Israel  and 
their  heathen.  There  were  some,  however,  who,  with  Rev.  John 
Eliot,  believed  that  the  Indians  had  immortal  souls,  and  that  they 
were  given  to  God's  people  to  educate  and  save.  But  there  was 
nothing  which  the  rulers  of  the  Indians  resented  more  persistently, 
nor  complained  of  more  frequently,  than  the  attempts  of  the  Chris- 


KINO   nilLIP's  WAR. 


tians  to  convert  their  people.  Indirectly  one  of  these  converted 
Indians  wiia  the  immediate  cause  of  the  opening  of  hof^tilities.  There 
were  many  grievances  of  which  the  Indians  complained  ;  but  they 
had  not  the  foresight  to  sec  the  inevitable  result  of  the  constantly 
incrcaHing  power  of  the  English,  in  their  acquisition  of  land,  and 
multiplying  of  settlements.  It  was  only  when  they  felt  the  pressure 
of  actual  privation  or  persecution,  that  they  began  to  think  of 
opposition  or  revenge.  Their  chiefs  had  been  summoned  frequently 
before  the  English  courts  to  answer  for  some  broach  of  law  by  their 
subjects  ;  several  times  the  English  had  demanded  that  whole  tribes 
should  give  up  their  arms  because  of  the  fault  of  one  or  a  few. 
The  Indians  lived  mostly  by  hunting  and  fishing,  and  at  the  time  of 
the  war  used  fire-arms  almost  wholly.  They  had  learned  their  use 
and  bought  the  arms  of  the  English,  nearly  always  at  exorbitant 
prices.  They  were  expert  in  the  use  of  their  guns,  and  hold  them  as 
the  most  precious  of  their  possessions.     The  order  to  jrive  these  over 


to  the  P]nglish,  with  their  stock  of  ammunition. 


was  regarded 


by 


them  as  robbery,  as  indeed  in  most  cases  it  was,  as  they  seldom 
regained  their  arms  when  once  given  up.  We  can  now  see  that 
from  their  standpoint  there  were  grievances  enough  to  drive  them 
to  rebellion.  But  our  forefathers  seem  to  have  been  unable  to  see 
any  but  their  own  side.     But  now  to  the  story. 

John  Sassamon  (Mr.  Hubbard  says  Sausaman)  was  the  son  of  a 
Wampanoag  Indian  who  with  his  wife  and  family  lived  in  Dorchester. 
They  had  been  taught  by  Mr.  Eliot,  and  professed  the  Christian 
faith.  The  son  John  was  the  pupil  of  Mr.  Eliot  from  his  early 
youth,  and  was  made  a  teacher  among  the  Christian  Indians  at 
Natick.  Mr.  Hubbard  says  that  "upon  some  misdemeanor"  there, 
he  went  to  the  Wampanoags,  where  he  became  the  secretary  and  inter- 
preter of  the  chief,  to  whom  he  was  a  most  valuable  assistant  and 
trusted  adviser.  He  was  soon  prevailed  upon  by  Mr.  Eliot  to  return 
to  Natick,  where  he  became  a  preacher,  while  still  preserving 
friendly  relations  with  Philip  and  his  tribe.  In  1672-3  he  was 
at  Namasket  as  preacher  among  the  Indians,  whose  chief  was 
Tuspiiquin,  whose  daughter  Sassamon  had  married.  While  here 
he  discovered  that  a  plot  was  in  process,  extending  among  many 
tribes,  to  exterminate  or  drive  away  the  English  settlers  from  the 
country.  This  plot  Sassamon  disclosed  to  the  authorities  at  Ply- 
mouth, and  afterwards  the  story  was  told  to  the  Massachusetts 
authorities ;  and  Philip  was  summoned  to  answer  to  the  charge. 
At  the  examination,  where  nothing  positive  could  be  proved  against 
Philip,  he  found  by  the  evidence  that  Sassamon  had  betrayed  him, 
and  he  immediately  condemned  him  to  death  in  his  council.  The 
sentence  was  carried  out  January  29,  1674-5  while  Sassamon  was 
fishing  through  the  ice  upon  Assawomset  Pond.  His  executioners 
were  brought  to  punishment,  and  it  was  discovered  that  the  deed  was 
done  by  Philip's  order.     The  trial  was  in  March,  1675,  and  the 


KINO   rniLIP'8   WAR. 


urge. 


principal  nctor,    Tohiiis,    nnd  liis  accomplice,   Mnttnshunnnnnmoo, 
were  executed  ns  murderers,  June  8,  1075  ;  while  Tobias's  son,  who 
was  present  but  took  no  part  in  the  crime,  was  reprieved  for  one 
month  and  then  shot.     After  the  execution  of  the  two  in  June,  Philip 
threw  off  all  di^<gui80  as  to  his  plan,  and  pushed  his  preparations  as 
diligently  as  possible.     The  plan  had  been  to  complete  preparations 
and  include  all  the  tribes  in  New  England,  so  that  a  simultaneous 
assault  could  be  made  upim  all  the  settlements  at  once.    This  plan  was 
spoiled,  and  probably  the  settlements  saved  from  destruction,  by  the 
impatience  of  the  leader's  vengeance.     While  Philip's  preparations 
went  forward,  the  authorities  thought  best  not  to  make  any  immediate 
military  demonstration  further  than  the  placing  of  a  guard  by  the 
various  settlements  to  prevent  a  surprise.     They  thought  Philip 
would  soon  tire  of  holding  his  men  in  arms  and  training,  so  that 
they  could  get  him  in  their  power.     But  his  company  increased,  and 
the  younger  warriors  began  to  demand  some  open  act  of  hostility. 
At  last  they  began   not  only  to  insult  the  English  settlers  in  the 
nearest  settlements,  by  their  words  of  insolence  and  threats,  b'lt  to 
shoot  their  cattle  and  plunder  their  houses.     The  Indians  increased 
greatly  in  numbers,   from  the  neighboring  tribes,  many  "strange 
Indians"  appearing  among  them,  and  most  of  their  women  and  chil- 
dren being  sent  away  to  the  Narraganset  country.     At  Swansy  they 
appeared  in  considerable  numbers,  and  used  all  their  ways  of  provo- 
cation to  induce  some  act  of  resistance  from  the  settlers  ;  and  at  last, 
upon  June  24th,  one  man  was  so  enraged  at  the  shooting  of  his 
cattle  and  the  attempt  to  rifle  his  house,  that  he  shot  at  an  Indian, 
wounding  him.     Upon  this  the  Indians  began  open  and  indiscrimi- 
nate hostility,  and  on  that  day  eight  or  nine  of  the  English  at 
Swansy  were  killed  and  others  wounded.     Two  men  were  sent  for 
a  surgeon,  but  were  waylaid  and  slain,  and  their  bodies  left  upon  the 
road.     Messengers,  sent  from  the  English  authorities  to  treat  with 
Philip  and  prevent  an  outbreak,  came  upon  the  bodies  of  the  men 
slain  in  the  highway,  and  speedily  turned  back.     The  colonies  awoke 
to  the  fact  that  an  Indian  war  was  upon  them,  but  supposed  that  a 
few  companies  sent  down  to  Swansy  would  at  once  overawe  the 
savages  and  reduce  them  to  submission.     A  speedy  muster  was  made, 
both  at  Plymouth  and  Boston,  and  on  the  afternoon  of  June  26th, 
five  companies  were  mustering  or  on  the  march  from  the  two  colonies. 
The  details  of  the  account  of  the  war  will  be  found  in  the  body  of 
the  preceding  chapters.     Here  only  a  brief  outline  of  current  events 
can  be  given.     The  first  company  of  infantry  from  Boston  was  made 
up  from  the  regular  military  companies  of  the  town.     A  company  of 
cavalry,  or  "troopers,"  was  gathered  from  the  regular  organization  in 
three  counties.    A  third  company,  of  "volunteers,"  was  raised  about 
the  town  and  vicinity,  from  all  sorts  of  adventurers,  sea-faring  men 
and  strangers,  with  a  number  of  prisoners  who  had  been  convicted 
of  piracy  and  condemned  to  death,  but  were  now  released  to  engage 


6 


KING   PHILIPS   WAR. 


I'  'i 


ifi 


in  fighting  the  Indians.  Capt.  Daniel  Henchman  commanded  the 
first  company  ;  Capt.  Thomas  Prentice  the  troopers,  and  Capt. 
Samuel  Mosely  the  "volunteers."  These  three  companies  marched 
out  of  Boston  on  the  2Gth  and  27th  and  arrived  at  Swansy  on  the 
28th,  having  formed  a  junction  with  the  Plymouth  forces  under 
Major  James  Cudvvorth  and  Capt.  Fuller.  The  forces  quartered 
about  the  house  of  Rev.  John  Miles,  the  minister  at  Swansy,  whose 
place  was  nearest  the  bridge  leading  over  the  river  into  Philip's 
dominions.  Some  of  the  troopers  that  evening  rode  across  the  bridge 
and  had  a  slight  skirmish  with  the  enemy.  On  the  29th,  Major 
Thomas  Savage  arrived  with  another  company  of  foot  with  Capt. 
Nichohis  Paige's  troop.  Major  Savage  took  command  of  the 
Massachusetts  forces ;  while,  according  to  the  custom  in  the  United 
Colonies,  the  senior  officer  of  the  colony  in  which  the  forces  were 
engaged  at  the  time  became  commander-in-chief.  The  present  seat 
of  war  being  in  Plymouth  colony.  Major  Cudworth  was  thus  the 
commander  of  the  whole  army.  On  June  30th,  the  troopers,  sup- 
ported by  Mosely's  company,  charged  across  the  bridge  for  a  mile 
into  the  woods,  driving  the  enemy  before  them  into  swamps,  with  a 
loss  of  five  or  six.  Ensign  Perez  Savage  being  severely  wounded  on 
the  English  side.  This  charge  so  frightened  the  Indians  that  they 
fled,  in  the  night,  out  of  their  peninsula  of  Mount  Hope,  across  the 
channel  to  Pocasset,  now  Tiverton,  R.  I.,  so  that  on  the  next  day 
when  the  whole  force  marched  over  into  Mount  Hope,  and  marched 
back  and  forth  sweeping  the  country  with  their  lines,  they  found  no 
enemy.  The  forces  were  engaged  several  days  in  scouting  the 
neighboring  country  in  search  of  the  Indians,  not  yet  knowing  that 
the  main  body  were  in  Pocasset. 

Then  orders  came  from  Boston  for  Major  Savage's  forces  to  march 
into  Narraganset,  to  enforce  a  treaty  with  that  powerful  tribe,  and 
prevent  their  junction  with  Philip.  They  found  the  country  appar- 
ently deserted,  few  except  the  very  aged  being  left  in  any  of  the 
villages.  Neither  Canonchet  nor  any  of  his  leading  Sachems  could 
be  found.  The  officers,  however,  spent  several  days  completing  a 
very  ceremonious  treaty  with  some  of  the  old  men  whom  they  were 
able  to  bring  together.  Canonchet  afterwards  treated  the  whole 
matter  with  scorn  as  being  a  farce. 

In  the  meantime  the  Plymouth  forces  pfiesed  over  to  Pocasset  and 
found  a  body  of  Indians,  and  had  a  skirmish  with  them.  Capt. 
Fuller  was  in  command,  and  Benjamin  Church  conducted  a  part  of 
the  force,  which  became  engaged  with  a  much  larger  force,  and  after 
hard  fighting  were  drawn  off  with  difficulty  by  the  tact  and  courage 
of  Mr.  Church,  after  inflicting  serious  injury  upon  the  enemy,  and 
eufFering:  little  loss  themselves.  After  this  the  Indians  retired  into 
the  swamps  about  Pocasset,  and  were  held  at  bay  until  the  return  of 

when  ail  marched  together  for  concerted 


tuc 


Mittssachuseiia 


forces ; 


action  against  their  enemies. 


KINO  PHILIP'S   WAR. 


On  July  18th  the  combined  forces  arrived  at  the  Pocasset  swamp, 
and  made  a  resolute  attack  upon  the  enemy  concealed  in  the  thick 
underbrush,  from  whence  at  the  first  volley  they  killed  five  and 
wounded  seven  of  our  men.  After  this  volley  the  enemy  retreated 
deeper  into  the  EWPnip,  where  it  was  impossible,  night  coming  on, 
to  follow  them.  The  commanders  in  council  concluded  that  they 
had  the  enemy  now  enclosed  securely  within  the  swamp,  whence  it 
was  impossible  to  escape,  if  a  suitable  guard  were  left  to  watch. 
Major  Savage  and  the  Massachusetts  men  returned  to  Boston ,  except 
Capt.  Henchman's  company  of  one  hundred  men,  who,  with  the 
Plymouth  forces,  remained  at  Pocasset.  Capt.  Henchman  began  to 
build  a  fort  there,  which  might  serve  as  a  stronghold  for  the  English 
and  might  guard  the  entrance  to  the  great  swamp. 

The  English  were  deceived  by  the  apparent  easy  conquest  of  both 
the  Wampanoags  and  Narragansets,  and  believed  they  had  over- 
awed them  and  set  their  hostility  at  rest,  and  now  might  take  their 
own  time  in  crushing  Philip  and  thus  finishing  the  war. 

Plymouth  Colony  had  been  engaged  from  the  first  in  seeking  to 
conciliate  the  tribes,  in  their  bounds,  which  were  related  to  Philip. 
Through  the  efforts  of  J.Ir.  Benjamin  Church,  a  resident  of  Seconet, 
who  was  acquainted  on  pleasant  terms  with  nearly  all  the  tribes  in 
the  colony,  negotiations  were  held  with  Awashonks  the  squaw- 
sachem  of  the  Seconet  Indians  and  Weetamoo  the  squaw-sachem  or 
"queen"  of  the  Pocasset  tribe.  Awashonks  and  most  of  her  people 
passed  over  into  the  Narragnnset  country  at  the  opening  of  active 
hostilities,  and  thus  avoided  joining  Philip ;  but  Weetamoo  and  her 
people  were  swept  along  with  him  in  his  retreat  towards  the  Nipmuck 
country.  Plymouth  companies  were  abroad,  too,  scouting  the 
country  in  the  effort  to  protect  their  settlements,  exposed,  like  Dart- 
mouth, Middleboro',  &c.  Tliey  also  established  a  garrison  at  Mount 
Hope  after  Philip  retreated  to  Pocasset,  to  prevent  his  return.  The 
entrance  of  Philip  into  the  Pocasset  swamps  compelled  the  coopera- 
tion of  the  hesitating  Weetamoo,  and  afforded  him  a  safe  hiding- 
place  to  recruit  and  prepare  for  his  flight  northward. 

In  the  meantime  the  Massachusetts  authorities  had  begun  negotia- 
tions with  the  various  Nipmuck  Indians.  Seven  of  the  principal 
towns  had  been  visited  and  treaties  made  with  each.  On  July  16th 
Ephraim  Curtis  returned  to  Boston  and  reported  the  Quabaugs 
gathered  at  a  great  Island  in  a  swamp  beyond  Brookfield,  and  show- 
ing a  defiant  and  hostile  spirit.  The  Council  immediately  sent 
Capt.  Edward  Hutchinson,  escorted  by  Capt.  Thomas  Wheeler  and 
his  mounted  company,  with  Curtis  as  guide,  to  find  the  Indians  and 
bring  them  to  terms.  The  company,  accompanied  by  some  friendly 
Naticks,  arrived  at  Brookfield  on  August  Ist,  and  immediately  sent 
Curtis  with  the  guides  to  arrange  for  a  meeting  next  day.  The 
Quabaugs,  whose  leader  was  the  famous  Muttaump,  agreed  to  come 
next  day  to  a  plain  some  three  miles  from  Brookfield  to  meet  the 


i  I 


8 


KING  PHILIP'S   WAR. 


1 1 


IK: 


m 


English.  The  next  morning,  the  company,  with  three  of  the  chief 
men  of  Brookfield,  rode  out  to  the  appointed  place,  but  found  no  In- 
dians. Urged  by  the  Brookfield  men,  but  against  the  earnest  re- 
monstrance of  the  Naticks,  they  rode  forward  towards  the  place 
where  Curtis  met  them  the  day  before.  But  coming  to  a  narrow  de- 
file between  a  high  rocky  hill  and  an  impenetrable  swamp,  and  rid- 
ing single  file,  they  found  themselves  caught  in  a  great  ambuscade 
of  the  Indians,  who  let  them  pass  along  until  they  were  able  to  sur- 
round them,  and  then  rose  altogether  and  fired  into  their  column  at 
close  range.  They  killed  eight  men  outright  and  wounded  five,  in- 
cluding Capts.  Hutchinson  and  Wheeler,  the  former  mortally.  The 
English  were  forced  to  retreat,  fighting,  up  the  hill ;  and,  under  the 
skilful  conduct  of  their  Indian  guides,  were  able  to  make  a  safe  re- 
treat to  Brookfield  where  they  gathered  the  people  and  fortified  a 
house  just  before  the  Indians  came  sweeping  furiously  down  upon 
the  village.  Here  they  defended  themselves  against  great  numbers 
for  several  days,  till  Major  Willard  and  Capt.  Parker  came  with  a 
company  and  reinforced  the  garrison,  when  the  enemy  retired. 

At  Pocasset,  Capt.  Henchman  continued  building  his  fort,  and 
Philip  was  making  ready  for  his  flight.  The  English  seem  not  to 
have  contemplated  the  possibility  of  a  general  war,  nor  to  have  at 
all  appreciated  the  gravity  of  the  present  situation  in  the  colonies. 
Phihp  with  all  his  fighting-men  and  the  greater  part  of  his  own  and 
Weetamoo's  people,  escaped  across  the  river  and  passed  through  the 
open  plain  in  Behoboth,  where  they  were  discovered  by  some  of  the 
settlers.  A  scouting  party  from  Taunton  made  the  discovery  that 
it  was  Philip's  Indians  who  were  thus  escaping.  The  situation  of 
aflfairs  may  be  briefly  stated.  Capt.  Henchman  was  guarding  the 
swamp  wherein  Philip  and  his  people  were  supposed  to  be  securely 
trapped.  Major  Cudworth  and  Capt.  Fuller  were  at  Dartmouth 
with  a  company  of  one  hundred  and  twelve  men.  Lieut.  Nathaniel 
Thomas  of  Marshfield  was  at  the  Mount  Hope  garrison  with  twenty 
men.  At  Rehoboth  a  company  of  Mohegan  Indians  under  Oneko, 
under  convoy  of  Corporal  Thomas  Swift,  arrived  from  Boston  on 
the  30th  on  tlieir  way  to  Capt.  Henchman  at  Pocasset.  Upon  the 
alarm.  Rev.  Mr.  Newman,  of  Rehoboth,  began  to  organize  a  com- 
pany of  volunteers  for  the  pursuit  of  the  Indians.  Lieut.  Thomas, 
with  a  small  detachment,  happened  to  come  to  Rohoboth  on  the  30th, 
and  hearing  of  the  escape,  hastened  back  to  carry  the  news  to  Capt. 
Henchman,  and  urge  his  cooperation.  Lieut.  Thomas  then,  on  the 
31st,  took  eleven  men  of  his  Mount  Hope  garrison,  and  being  joined 
by  Lieut.  James  Brown,  of  Swansy,  with  twelve  men,  marched  in  the 
pursuit.  The  Rehoboth  men,  with  some  volunteers  from  Providence 
and  Taunton,  led  by  the  Mohegans,  had  started  earlier  upon  the 
trail  of  the  enemy.  Lieut.  Thomas  and  his  party  overtook  the 
others  at  sunset,  and  after  a  brief  council-ot-war,  sent  out  their 
Bcouts,  Indian  and  English,  to  discover  the  movements  of  the  fugi- 


KING  PHILIP'S   WAR. 


9 


,  com- 


tives.  Having  f:  1  that  they  had  encamped  for  the  night,  and 
apparently  not  si:  ,  cting  pursuit,  the  English  left  their  horses  with 
a  guard,  and,  with  the  Mohegans  in  the  van,  marched  silently  for- 
ward to  a  field,  at  a  place  called  "Nipsachick"  (said  to  be  within 
the  present  town  of  Burrillville,  R.  1. ) .  The  night  being  very  dark, 
they  were  forced  to  wait  for  light.  At  dawn  they  made  tiieir  attack 
upon  what  proved  to  be  Weetamoo's  camp.  The  Indians  were 
taken  by  surprise  and  fled,  leaving  everything  behind  them.  But 
the  Mohegans  and  English  rushing  forward  found  themselves  con- 
fronted with  Philip's  fighting  men  entrenched  behind  trees  and  rocks 
ready  for  battle.  Adopting  the  tactics  of  the  enemy,  the  English  and 
their  allies  engaged  them  fiercely  until  9  o'clock,  when  still  fighting 
desperately,  but  with  powder  nearly  spent,  the  hostiles  sullenly  re- 
tired, leaving  many  of  their  dead  upon  the  field.  Some  twenty- 
three  of  the  enemy  were  killed,  it  is  said,  including  a  prominent  chief, 
Woonashum,  called  by  the  English,  Nimrod.  Of  the  English,  two 
were  killed  and  one  wounded. 

Near  the  close  of  the  fight.  Rev.  Mr.  Newman  and  a  party  came 
up,  bringing  supplies.  Capt.  Henchman  arrived  after  the  fight, 
having  sailed  to  Providence  and  marched  up  thence,  with  sixty-eight 
soldiers  and  sixteen  friendly  Indians.  He  immediately  took  com- 
mand, but  concluded  not  to  push  the  pursuit  until  next  day.  The 
Rehoboth  and  Providence  men  returned  home,  to  bring  up  sup- 
plies for  the  further  pursuit.  They  hastened  back  next  day  with  all 
speed,  but  found  to  their  great  disappointment  that  Capt.  Henchman 
had  not  moved  until  that  same  day,  giving  the  enemy  a  full  day's 
start ;  and  Lieut.  Thomas  and  his  party  overtook  him  on  the  even- 
ing of  August  3d,  at  a  place  called  by  them  in  the  report,  "  Wapo- 
soshequash."  The  enemy  were  beyond  pursuit,  a  part  (Weetamoo's 
people,  except  the  fighting-men)  having  turned  off  into  the  Narra- 
ganset  country,  while  Philip  and  the  rest  passed  into  the  great  forests 
beyond  Quabaug.  The  Mohegans  went  to  their  own  country  on 
August  4th,  accompanied  by  Lieut.  Brown  and  a  small  party,  to 
Norwich,  to  secure  provisions  and  news  of  the  enemy.  After  await- 
ing the  return  of  this  party  three  days,  Capt.  Henchman  on  August 
7th,  marched  back  to  Mendon,  meeting  Capt.  Mosely  with  a  com- 
pany of  dragoons  coming  up  from  Providence  with  supplies.  Next 
day  Capt.  Henchman  went  up  to  Boston,  and  the  Rehoboth  men 
returned  home.  Capt.  Mosely  was  left  in  command  at  Mendon. 
Capt.  Henchman  was  relieved  of  command  in  the  field  and  was  sent 
to  bring  off  his  men  remaining  at  Pocasset.  Mendon  had  been  at- 
tacked July  14th,  by  a  party  of  Nipmucks,  led  by  Matoonas,  and  six 
or  more  of  the  settlers  were  killed  while  at  work  in  their  fields. 

When  the  Indians  returned  from  their  siege  of  Brookfield,  they 
met  Philip  and  his  people  in  the  woods  and  told  him  of  their  exploit. 
He  was  greatly  pleased,  and  gave  some  of  the  chiefs  presents  of 
wampum,    and  promised  them  fresh  supplies  of  ammunition  and 


to:. 


w  M 


10 


KING  PHILIP'8  WAR. 


arms.  The  Brookfield  affair  had  the  effect  of  bringinjj  in  the  falter- 
icg  tribes,  and  Philip's  coming  confirmed  the  plan  to  clear  the  Con- 
necticut Valley  of  English  settlers.  Massachusetts  Colony  raised 
several  companies  to  protect  the  frontiers.  Capt.  Mosely  with  his 
own  and  Capt.  Henchman's  men  marched  from  Mendon,  and  Capts. 
Thomas  Lathrop  of  Essex  County  with  a  fine  company,  and 
Richard  Beers  of  Watertown  with  another,  marched  to  Brookfield 
where  their  forces  were  joined  by  Capt.  Watts  of  Connecticut  with 
two  companies  of  English  and  Indians.  Major  Willard  took  com- 
mand of  this  force,  and  broke  it  into  several  parties  in  order  to  better 
protect  the  several  settlements.  These  companies  were  engaged  in 
scouting  the  frontiers  and  guarding  supplies  sent  up  to  the  various 
garrisons.  The  Springfield  Indians,  hitherto  pretending  friendship, 
fled  and  joined  the  hostiles  on  the  night  of  August  24 ;  and  the 
English,  pursuing,  had  a  sharp  fight  with  them  at  a  swamp  near 
Mt.  Wequomps,  losing  nine  of  their  own  men.  The  English  troops 
were  concentrated  at  Hadley  under  the  general  command  of  Major 
Pynchon.  On  Sept.  1st  the  Indians  attacked  Deerfield,  burning 
most  of  the  houses  and  killing  one  of  the  garrison  soldiers,  and  with- 
drew. On  the  2d  they  fell  upon  Northfield,  where  many  of  the 
people  were  abroad  at  work  in  the  fields,  and  the  women  and 
children  at  the  houses  in  the  town.  The  assault  was  from  all  quar- 
ters at  once,  and  many  were  killed  in  the  fields  and  as  they  escaped 
from  their  houses  to  the  garrison.  The  Indians  burned  most  of 
their  houses  and  drove  away  their  cattle.  On  the  3d,  Capt.  Beers, 
with  thirty  mounted  men  and  an  ox-team,  was  sent  to  bring  off  the 
garrison  of  Northfield,  not  knowing  of  this  attack.  This  force  on 
the  next  day  was  ambushed  at  Saw-Mill  Brook,  near  Northfield,  and 
Capt.  Beers  and  some  twenty  of  his  men  were  killed.  Next  day 
Major  Treat  with  a  hundred  men  marched  up  to  Northfield,  finding 
and  burying  the  dead  of  Capt.  Beers's  company,  and  then  bringing 
oflP  the  garrison.  It  was  -now  decided  to  strengthen  the  garrisons 
and  act  upon  the  defensive.  Upon  Sept.  18th  Capt.  Lathrop  w^ith 
his  company  was  sent  to  convoy  teams  bringing  loads  of  grain  from 
Deerfield  to  Hadley.  A  strong  ambuscade  was  made  at  a  place 
known  since  as  "  Bloody  Brook,"  and  there  the  Indians  encompassed 
and  massacred  nearly  the  whole  company,  some  eighty,  including 
the  teamsters.  Only  eight  or  ten  escaped.  The  number  killed 
was  between  sixty  and  seventy.  Capt.  Mosely  came  hastily  from 
Deerfield  upon  hearing  the  shots,  and  engaged  the  great  company 
of  several  hundreds  of  Indians,  charging  in  amongst  them  with 
intrepid  fury  which  drove  them  headlong  before  him  into  the  woods 
and  swamps ;  but,  finding  them  gathering  in  immense  numbers  and 
seeking  to  surround  him,  he  threw  out  his  lines  to  prevent  being 
flanked,  and  began  a  cautious  retreat;  when  Major  Treat  coming 
upon  the  field;  the  Indians,  seeing  the  reinforcements,  fled. 

These  terrible  reverses  threw  a  gloomy,  superstitious  fear  over 


III;. 


KINO   PHILIP'S  WAR. 


11 


being 
boming 


ir  over 


the  colonieB.  The  English  troops,  hitherto  despising  the  Indians  in 
war,  now  seemed  helpless  before  them.  On  Sept.  26th  the  Indians 
assaulted  Springfield,  west  of  the  river,  burning  the  houses  and 
barns.  On  October  5th,  having  made  some  demonstrations  against 
Hadley,  the  soldiers  were  drawn  from  Springfield  to  strengthen  the 
garrison ;  the  Indians  fell  upon  the  latter  village  and  destroyed  it, 
before  the  companies  could  return  to  save  it.  After  this  blow, 
Major  Pynchon  begged  the  Court  to  appoint  a  commander  of  the 
forces  on  the  river  in  his  place,  and  Major  Samuel  Appleton  was 
appointed,  and  by  advice  of  the  Council  garrisoned  the  various  towns 
not  abandoned,  and  then  withdrew  the  other  troops  to  Boston.  The 
Connecticut  troops  helped  to  garrison  Northampton  and  Westfield, 
and  the  Indians  withdrew  to  their  winter  camps.  Philip  had  long 
since  gone  into  winter  quarters  above  Albany. 

But  now  the  colonies  determined  to  strike  the  Narragansets  in 
their  own  couuiry  before  they  should  be  able  to  join  the  hostiles. 
A  great  muster  was  made  in  three  colonies,  and  an  army  of  one 
thousand  men  was  raised  and  equipped,  half  of  which  was  sent  from 
Massachusetts.  The  Narragansets  were  entrenched  in  a  very  strong 
position  in  a  great  swamp  in  what  is  now  South  Kingstown,  R.  I. 
It  was  claimed  that  great  numbers  of  Wampanoags  and  other  hos- 
tiles were  among  them  finding  refuge,  and  they  were  defiant  and 
threatening.  The  English  forces  under  command  of  Gen.  Winslow 
of  Plymouth  gathered  at  Wickford,  and  on  December  19th,  1675, 
marched  some  twenty  miles  through  intense  cold  and  a  heavy  snow- 
storm, to  the  swamp ;  the  waters  had  been  frozen  by  the  severe  cold, 
and  this  fact  made  it  possible  for  the  English  to  reach  the  rude 
fortifications.  Without  waiting  for  any  organized  attack,  the  Mas- 
sachusetts troops,  being  at  the  front  in  the  march,  rushed  forward 
across  the  ice  in  an  impetuous  charge,  and  into  the  entrance,  where 
the  Indians  had  constructed  rude  flankers,  and  placed  a  strong 
block-house  in  front,  so  that  the  first  to  enter  were  met  with  a  terri- 
ble enfilading  fire  from  front  and  flanks,  and  were  forced  back  for  a 
time ;  but  others  coming  on  pressed  into  the  breach,  and,  though 
suffering  severe  losses,  at  last  stormed  all  the  fortifications,  drove 
the  enemy  from  every  line  of  entrenchments  within  the  fort,  and  out 
into  the  woods  and  swamps  beyond.  They  set  fire  to  the  wigwams 
and  store-houses  of  the  savages,  in  which  were  burned  many  of  the 
aged,  and  women  and  children.  Then  taking  their  wounded,  the 
English  took  up  their  march  back  through  the  deep  snow  to  Wick- 
ford, where  they  arrived  the  next  morning. 

The  details  of  this  fight,  as  well  as  the  subsequent  movements 
of  this  campaign,  are  given  at  length  in  the  articles  of  which  this 
pamphlet  is  the  compendium,  and  are  briefly  passed  here.  The 
Narragansets  kept  well  out  of  the  way  of  the  English  army,  and 
made  many  pretences  of  negotiating  peace,  but  at  last,  about  January 
26th,  having  made  several  raids  into  the  settlements,  and  captured 


'ill 
I, 


!;n 


12 


KING  Philip's  war. 


numbers  of  cattle  and  horBce,  Canonchet  with  his  strong  rear-guard 
took  up  his  line  of  retrea^  for  the  north,  and  two  days  afterwards 
the  army,  some  twelve  hundred  strong,  marched  in  pursuit.  The 
Mohegans  and  Pequots,  among  the  Connecticut  forces,  led  the  pur- 
suit, and  had  several  sharp  skirmishes  with  the  enemy,  always  re- 
treating northward.  This  running  fight  was  kept  up  for  several 
days,  until  provisions  having  failed  and  no  base  of  supplies  possible, 
the  General  abandoned  the  pursuit  and  marched  his  troops  to  Marl- 
borough and  thence  to  Boston.  The  men  suffered  severely  in  this 
march,  from  hunger,  and  it  was  known  for  several  generations  as 
the  "  hungry  march." 

The  Connecticut  forces  separated  from  the  others  on  February  3d, 
and  the  main  body  of  the  army  arrived  in  Boston  on  the  8th  and 
were  dismissed.  A  company  'aider  command  of  Capt.  Wadsworth 
was  left  at  Ma/lboroi'gh  to  guard  the  frontiers  and  neighboring  towns. 
Canonchet  and  his  great  and  warlike  Narraganset  tribe,  maddened 
by  what  they  believed  their  wrongs,  and  thirsting  for  vengeance, 
were  now  joined  with  Philip  and  the  other  hostile  tribes,  and  all 
within  an  easy  day's  call,  except  Philip  and  his  band  who  still  remained 
in  their  retreat  beyond  Albany.  The  time  was  critical  for  the 
settlements  ;  prompt  action  was  necessary  on  the  part  of  the  Indian 
leaders,  to  keep  their  young  men  in  courage  and  training.  Upon 
t'ebruary  10th  the  Indians  in  great  force  fell  upon  Lancaster,  and 
nearly  destroyed  the  town.  They  killed  or  took  captive  fifty  of  the 
people.  Among  the  captives  was  Mrs.  Rowlandson,  wife  of  the 
minister.  One  garrison-house  was  saved  by  the  arrival  of  Capt. 
Wadsworth  and  his  company  from  Marlborough.  On  February 
21st  a  strong  body  of  the  enemy  surprised  Medfield,  although  a 
large  force  of  soldiers  was  then  in  the  town.  There  were  no  guards 
set,  nor  other  precautions  taken.  The  soldiers  were  scattered  about 
in  the  houses,  and  the  Indians  placed  ambuscades  in  front  of  each 
house,  and  shot  them  down  as  they  rushed  out  upon  the  alarm. 
The  enemy  were  frightened  away  by  the  firing  of  a  cannon,  and  crossed 
the  river,  burning  the  bridge  behind  them.  Another  army  was  now 
raised  and  sent  out  to  the  Connecticut  River  towns,  to  protect  them, 
and  try  to  bring  the  enemy  to  battle.  There  were  said  to  be  two 
great  fortified  camps  ;  one  near  the  "  Wachusett  Hill,"  and  the  other 
at  Menameset,  beyond  Brooljfield.  The  army  was  under  command 
of  Major  Thomas  Savage,  and  consisted  of  three  foot  companies  and 
a  troop  of  horse  from  Massachusetts.  Connecticut  sent  several 
companies  of  English  and  friendly  Indians.  A  number  of  Christian 
Indians  from  the  Naticks  went  with  Major  Savage.  The  army  marched 
to  Menameset,  March  2d-4th,  to  find  the  enemy  gone.  They 
pursued  them  to  Miller's  River,  across  which  they  escaped.  It  was 
thought  that  this  great  body  of  the  enemy  would  now  fall  upon  the 
western  towns,  so  that  the  army  marched  thither,  abandoning  the 
design  upon  "Wachusett  Hill"  encampment.     Major  Savage  dis- 


KING  Philip's  war. 


13 


posed  his  forces  to  guard  the  towns.  On  March  14th  an  attack  was 
made  upon  Northampton,  but  was  repulsed  with  severe  loss  to  the 
enemy.  On  the  24th  they  appeared  at  Hatfield,  but  finding  it  well 
garrisoned  made  no  attack,  though  driving  off  some  horses  and 
cattle.  The  Indians  began  to  prepare  for  planting  fields  along  the 
river ;  and  Canonchet  with  a  body  of  his  men  went  back  to  their 
country  to  bring  up  seed-corn,  of  which  large  quantities  were  there 
stored.  It  is  probable  that  a  large  company  went  towards  Plymouth 
colony,  a  small  party  of  whom  destroyed  the  house  and  family  of 
Mr.  Clarke  at  Plymouth  village.  March  17th  they  burned  Warwick. 
Plymouth  Colony  sent  out  a  company  of  fifty  under  Capt.  Michael 
Peirse  of  Marshfield,  to  protect  its  frontiers.  A  party  of  twenty 
friendly  Indians  under  "  Capt.  Amos  "  was  joined  with  Capt.  Peirse. 
This  company  marched  to  Seekonk,  and  there  had  a  sharp  skirmish 
with  the  Indians  on  the  evening  of  March  25th.  Next  day,  suppos- 
ing they  had  beaten  the  Indiana,  they  pursued  them  and  were  drawn 
into  an  ambush  and  surrounded  near  Patuxit  River  with  great  num- 
bers, so  that  they  were  obliged  to  fight  to  the  death.  The  whole 
company,  including  the  oflScers,  were  killed,  together  with  eight  out 
of  the  twenty  Indians.  The  enemy,  too,  lost  very  heavily.  March 
28th  and  29th  the  Indians  burned  seventy  houses  and  thirty  barns 
at  Providence. 

In  the  meantime  in  Massachusetts  the  enemy  were  not  idle. 
Lurking  parties  hovered  about  Groton,  plundering  the  vacated 
houses,  and  driving  away  any  stray  cattle  within  safe  reach.  On 
March  13th  they  fell  upon  the  town  in  force.  The  people  were 
gathered  in  five  garrison-houses.  One  of  the  garrison-houses  was 
captured,  but  the  people  mostly  escaped  to  another.  The  other 
garrison-houses  were  stoutly  defended.  The  Indians  burned  the 
unfortified  houses  and  withdrew.  On  March  26th,  the  fatal  day  of 
Capt.  Peirse's  destruction,  they  burned  sixteen  houses  and  thirteen 
barns  at  Marlborough.  Capt.  Brocklebank,  then  in  command  at 
Marlborough,  sent  out  a  party  in  pursuit,  who  overtook  and  sur- 
prised the  enemy  at  night  sleeping  about  their  fires,  fired  into  their 
midst  and  put  them  to  flight.  On  the  same  day,  at  Longmeadow, 
a  party  going  to  Springfield  to  church  was  ambushed  by  a  small 
company  of  Indians,  and  several  were  captured  and  killed. 

Finding  the  campaign  to  have  failed  in  its  main  object,  the  Coun- 
cil ordered  Major  Savage  to  withdraw  his  troops,  leaving  Capt. 
Wm.  Turner,  with  a  hundred  and  fifty  men,  to  garrison  the  towns. 
April  7th  the  army  marched  homeward. 

But  now  the  Connecticut  authorities,  fearing  a  return  of  the  Nar- 
ragansets  to  their  vicinity,  in  numbers  such  as  overwhelmed  Capt. 
Peirse,  mustered  a  mixed  company  of  English  and  Indians,  and  sent 
them  into  the  Narraganset  country  under  command  of  Capts.  Deni- 
son  and  Avery.  These,  guided  by  a  captive  whom  they  had  taken, 
surprised  and  captured  Canonchet  not  far  from  the  Patuxit  river, 


W 


,t.. 


H 


14 


KINO  PHILIP  8  WAR. 


i'li 


ife: 


ill-  W: 


where  he  was  encamped  with  a  few  of  his  men,  while  the  great  body 
were  scattered,  scouting  and  foraging.  He  was  soon  after  executed 
by  Oneko,  by  the  judgment  of  the  English  authorities.  The  death 
of"  Canonchet  was  really  the  death-blow  of  the  war,  for  he  was  the 
real  leader  of  all  active  operations  at  this  time.  Philip  was  still  the 
chief  instigator,  however,  and  now  more  than  before,  became,  for 
the  time,  the  controlling  mind  of  a  larger  number  than  ever  before. 
There  were  dissensions,  however,  and  many  of  the  chiefs  began  to 
murmur  and  some  to  threaten  against  him  as  the  cause  of  all  their 
troubles.  Some  of  the  river  tribes  began  to  show  signs  of  weaken- 
ing, and  proposed  negotiations  with  the  English.  Philip  withdrew 
to  the  strong-hold  near  Wachuset  with  such  as  adhered  to  him,  and 
with  Quinnapin,  and  such  of  the  Narragansets  as  followed  him. 
The  Indians  were  still  active,  and  watched  every  chance  to  strike  a 
blow.  They  came  to  Marlborough  on  April  18th  and  burned  the 
abandoned  houses  of  the  settlers.  Capt.  Brocklebank  commanded 
the  garrison  there  and  refused  to  be  drawn  out  into  the  ambuscades, 
which,  before  the  burning,  the  Indians  had  set.  On  April  20th  they 
crept  down  and  encompassed  the  town  of  Sudbury.  On  that  day 
Ciipt.  Wads  worth  marched  up  from  Boston  with  a  company  of  fifty 
men,  passed  through  Sudbury,  and  doubtless  the  lines  of  the  enemy, 
without  any  knowledge  of  their  vicinity.  He  was  forcing  his  march 
to  relieve  the  garrison  at  Marlborough,  where  they  arrived  about 
midnight  on  the  20th,  and  without  delay  leaving  their  recruits,  took 
those  relieved  to  come  home,  including  Capt.  Brocklebank,  and 
came  back  towards  Sudbury.  The  great  numbers  of  Indians  had 
encompassed  the  town,  and  in  the  morning  of  the  21st  began  to 
burn  outlying  houses,  to  draw  out  the  inhabitants  from  the  garrison. 
They  soon  made  a  furious  and  persistent  attack  on  Haines^s  garrison 
from  morning  till  mid-<la/,  but  were  beaten  off,  until  rumors  of  rein- 
forcements from  various  quarters  caused  them  to  withdraw  to  meet 
these.  Edward  Cowell  and  eighteen  troopers  coming  to  the  relief 
of  Sudbury  were  attacked,  but  escaped  with  only  four  killed,  they 
turned  back,  suspecting  the  ambush  laid  for  them.  Capt.  Wads- 
worth  soon  after  arrived  by  another  road,  and  meeting  with  an  out- 
post of  the  enemy  rushed  forward  to  engage  them,  and,  as  usual, 
they  soon  found  themselves  surrounded  by  great  numbers,  and 
were  forced  to  a  position  on  a  hill,  where  most  of  the  company  fell 
fighting,  including  Capts.  Wadsworth,  Brocklebank  and  Lieut. 
Sharpe.  Some  sixteen  of  the  company  managed  to  escape  to  a 
mill,  and  there  defended  themselves  until  relieved.  A  company 
from  Watertown  arrived  soon  after  Capt.  Wadsworth,  and  crossing 
the  river,  made  a  brave  attempt  to  get  to  the  hill  to  join  him  in  his 
desperate  fight,  but  were  nearly  surrounded  themselves  and  forced 
to  retire.  Capt.  Hunting  vtrith'  a  company  of  Christian  Indians  and 
a  squad  oi  troopers  arrxveu  iFoin  oiiariestown  late  in  tue  afternoon, 
in  time  to  rescue  the  men  at  the  milL     After  this  fight,  in  whicb 


KING  PHILIP'S  WAR. 


15 


they  BtrucV.  such  a  terrible  blow,  and  ao  close  to  BoBton,  too,  they 
seem  to  have  retired  to  their  several  camps,  and  soon  to  have 
gathered  to  their  great  fishing-places  in  order  to  take  the 
run  of  fish.  Capt.  Turner  was  still  in  command  of  the  garrisons  at 
the  west.  From  captives  who  had  escaped,  and  scouts  here  and 
there,  came  rumors  of  a  great  company  of  Indians  fishing  at  the 
"  Upper  Falls  "  of  the  Connecticut.  Capt.  Turner  and  his  officers 
were  anxious  to  strike  a  blow  against  the  enemy,  and  Connecticut 
authorities  were  applied  to,  and  promised  speedy  reinforcements. 
On  May  12th  the  Indians  made  a  raid  into  Deerfield  meadows  and 
stampeded  some  seventy  head  of  cattle  belonging  to  the  English. 
Roused  by  this  fresh  outrage,  the  people  urged  retaliation,  and 
Capt.  Turner  and  his  officers  determined  to  attack  the  Indians  at 
their  great  fishing  place  at  once.  On  May  18th  the  whole  company 
of  soldiers  and  volunteers,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty,  mustered 
at  Hatfield,  and  marched  out  at  evening  towards  the  "  Falls."  They 
eluded  the  outposts  of  the  enemy,  and  at  daylight  arrived  undis- 
covered at  the  camp  of  the  Indians  at  the  fishing-place.  The  sav- 
ages were  asleep  in  their  wigwams,  and  the  English  rushed  down 
upon  them  and  shot  them  by  scores,  pointing  their  muskets  in 
through  the  wigwam  doors.  No  resistance  was  possible,  and  those 
who  escaped  the  first  fire  fled  in  terror  to  the  river,  pursued  by  the 
soldiers  and  were  cut  down  or  driven  into  the  water  without  mercy ; 
many  were  drowned  attempting  to  cross  the  river. 

But  it  was  soon  found  that  there  were  several  other  great  bodies 
of  the  Indians,  above  and  below  the  Falls  on  both  sides  of  the  river, 
and  these  began  to  swarm  towards  the  fight.  Capt.  Turner  now 
prudently  began  a  retreat,  having  struck  his  blow.  As  the  soldiers 
retired  the  enemy  gathered  in  great  numbers  upon  rear  and  flanks, 
seeking  to  force  the  English  into  narrow  defiles.  Capt.  Holyoke 
commanded  the  rear-guard,  and  checked  the  enemy  by  stout  fight- 
ing, but  for  which,  it  is  likely,  the  whole  command  would  have  been 
lost.  Capt.  Turner  led  the  advance,  and  while  crossing  Green 
River  was  shot  down  by  Indians  lying  in  wait.  Capt.  Holyoke 
then  led  the  company  back  to  Hatfield,  fighting  nearly  the  whole 
way.  There  the  killed  and  missing  numbered  forty-five.  A  few 
came  in  afterwards,  reducing  the  number  of  the  lost  to  about  forty. 
It  is  estimated  that  some  two  hundred  Indians  must  have  been  de- 
stroyed. 

The  blow  struck  by  Capt.  Turner  greatly  intimidated  the  enemy, 
though  the  retreat  was  so  disastrous  to  the  English.  The  tribes 
became  divided  and  demoralized.  They  seem  to  have  broken  up 
into  small  wandering  parties.  Philip  with  large  numbers  of  his 
adherents  went  down  towards  Plymouth.  Massachusetts  sent  troops 
to  the  western  frontiers  again,  and  also  to  aid  Plymouth^  The 
operations  in  the  field  were  mostly  the  pursuit  of  non-combatants,  the 
aged,  and  women  and  children.     Large  numbers  of  the  Wampa- 


i 


"i'    t 


iS'^-i 


16 


KING  PHILIP  8  WAR. 


I 


I 


nongs  and  Nnrragansets  had  now  returned  with  Philip  to  their  own 
country.  Small  parties  from  time  to  time  plundered  and  killed  as 
opportunity  offered.  The  colonists  were  roused  to  new  activity  at  the 
evident  weakening  of  the  Indians.  Aid  was  sent  to  Plymouth,  under 
Capts.  Brattle  and  Mosely  ;  and  Capt.  Henchman  did  good  service 
in  the  parts  about  Brookfield.  Major  Talcott,  with  a  mixed  force  of 
English  and  Indians,  about  five  hundred  in  all,  came  up  the  river 
and  marched  into  Hadley  about  the  11th  of  June,  and  was  quartered 
there  on  the  12th,  when  the  Western  Indians,  some  seven  hundred 
strong,  made  their  last  great  assault  in  force  in  these  parts.  The 
town  was  quite  strongly  garrisoned  besides  this  reinforcement,  of 
which  probably  the  enemy  knew  nothing.  The  attack  was  alto- 
gether unexpected  and  was  furious  and  determined,  but  the  repulse 
was  decided  and  sanguinary.  Major  Talcott  then  led  his  force  down 
into  the  Narraganset  country,  where,  about  the  2d  of  July,  he 
encountered  a  great  body  of  Indians,  and  driving  them  into  the 
woods  and  swamps  slew  great  numbers,  and  took  many  captives. 
The  plight  of  the  savages  was  pitiful ;  without  ammunition,  without 
leadership,  without  country  or  hope  of  any  sort,  they  found  no 
mercy  now  at  the  hands  of  their  olden  foes,  the  Mohegans  and  Pe- 
quots,  Bor  yet  the  English. 

The  remaining  operations  of  the  war  in  these  parts  were  simply 
the  hunting  down  of  almost  defenceless  enemies.  The  colonial 
authorities  issued  a  proclamation,  calling  all  those  Indians  who  had 
been  engaged  in  the  war  to  come  in  and  surrender,  submitting 
themselves  to  the  judgment  of  the  English  courts.  Many  parties 
sought  to  take  advantage  of  this,  but  were  captured  upon  their 
approach  by  scouting  parties,  and  treated  as  captives.  Some  of 
those  who  had  been  prominent  in  the  war  and  could  not  hope  for 
mercy,  escaped  to  the  eastward  and  p':t  themselves  under  the  pro- 
tection of  Wannalancet  and  his  Pennacooks,  who  had  remained 
neutral.     Some  fled  further  to  the  east,  and  there  incited  war. 

The  constant  success  which  the  Connecticut  troops  had  always 
had  after  their  use  of  the  Mohegans  and  Pequots,  was  a  plain  rebuke 
to  the  Massachusetts  colonists  for  the  numerous  disasters  from  which 
the  Christian  Indians  might  have  saved  them,  if  they  had  trusted 
and  employed  them.  As  soon  as  Capt.  Hunting  and  his  Indian 
company  were  put  in  the  field,  this  appeared.  The  Indians  in  small 
parties  skulking  in  woods  and  swamps  might  have  eluded  English 
soldiers  for  years,  but  as  soon  as  other  Indians  were  employed, 
escape  was  impossible. 

At  the  close  of  July,  many  of  Philip's  followers  had  been  taken, 
and  his  wife  and  several  of  his  chief  men  were  captives  or  had  been 
killed.  With  a  small  band  of  his  followers  he  was  hiding  in  the 
swamps  at  Mounthope  and  Pocasset.  English  scouting  parties 
were  active  in  all  parts  of  the  colonies  hunting  down  the  trembling 
and  unresisting  fugitives ;  and  especially  Philip.     Benjamin  Church 


KINO  PllILIP'8  WAR. 


17 


was  among  the  most  active  in  hunting  and  bringing  in  the  Indians, 
and  when  one  of  Philip's  men  came  to  betray  his  cluof,  he  found 
Mr.  Ciiurch  at  Major  Sanford's  in  Rhode  Ishmd  with  his  scouting 
jiarty  of  English  and  Indians  a  short  distance  away.  Upon  the 
news  of  Philip's  hiding-place  and  the  offer  of  the  Indian  to  lead 
thither,  Mr.  Church  gathered  as  many  as  he  could  enlist  in  addition 
to  his  party,  and,  under  the  lead  of  the  Indian  deserter  (who  acted, 
it  is  said,  from  motives  of  revenge  for  his  brother's  death,  by  Philip's 
hand,  because  he  advised  him  to  make  peace  with  the  English),  the 
party  marched  with  great  secrecy  to  Mounthope.  Mr.  Church 
arranged  his  attack  with  skill,  and  came  upon  Philip's  party  un- 
guarded and  asleep,  and  Philip  springing  up  and  attempting  to 
escape  to  the  swamp  near  by,  was  confronted  with  two  of  Mr. 
Church's  guards,  an  Englishman  find  an  Indian.  The  Englishman's 
gun  missed  fire,  but  the  Indian,  named  "Alderman,"  immediately 
fired  and  shot  the  great  chief  through  the  breast,  so  that  he  fell  for- 
ward into  the  water  of  the  swamp,  upon  his  face,  dead.  Philip  was 
killed  August  12th,  167(5.  Weetamoo's  party,  the  sad  remnant  of 
her  tribe,  had  been  captured  on  the  7th,  and  she,  trying  to  escape 
across  a  river,  was  drowned,  and,  her  body  being  found,  her  head 
was  cut  off  and  paraded  in  the  public  streets.  In  the  body  of  the 
papers,  by  ii  strange  continuance  of  an  old  mistake,  this  fact  is 
accredited  to  Awashonks,  squaw  sachem  of  the  Sogkonates. 

After  Philip's  death,  his  chief  counsellor,  Annawon,  led  the  rest  of 
the  party  out  of  the  swamp  and  escaped.  With  his  party  he  soon 
after  surrendered  to  Mr.  Church.  The  death  of  Philip  was  practi- 
cally the  close  of  the  war,  though  hostilities  continued  for  some  time 
after,  and  at  the  eastward  for  a  year  or  more  longer.  At  Dover 
Major  Richard  Walderne  had  held  command  of  the  military  interests 
and  operations  in  those  parts.  He  was  a  trusted  friend  of  Wanna- 
lancet  and  the  neighboring  Indians.  Under  the  proclamation  the 
old  chief  and  his  people  came  in  without  fear,  as  they  had  taken  no 
part  whatever  in  the  war.  There  were  many  Indians  with  them, 
however,  it  was  suspected,  who  had  been  among  the  hostiles  and 
now  wished  to  come  in  with  the  Pennacooks  and  secure  the  advan- 
tages of  their  influence  in  giving  themselves  up.  They  began  to 
come  in  at  Dover  about  the  first  of  September,  and  when,  on  the 
6th,  the  companies,  sent  to  the  eastward  under  Capt.  Hathorn, 
arrived  at  Dover,  there  were  some  four  hundred  there,  including  the 
Pennacooks.  In  some  way  the  immediate  surrender  of  all  these 
was  received,  probably  by  Major  Walderne's  great  influence  with 
them.  They  were  then  disarmed,  and  as  the  Massachusetts  officers 
insisted  upon  treating  all  as  prisoners  of  war,  Major  Walderne 
was  obliged  to  send  all,  save  Wannalancet  and  his  "relations,"  down 
to  Boston  to  be  tried  there  by  the  Court.  The  number  sent  was 
about  two  hundred. 

Some  of  the  Southern  Indians,  having  lost  all  except  their  own 


18 


KINO  PHILIP  8  WAR. 


jiiMted  to  tk»  F/Mtern  tribes  and  were  active  in  exciting  to 
The  Iocm'  f  <li  iA)«  had  been  hostile  the  previous  year, 
committiVii^  ihtprodatiorm  from  the  Kennebec  to  Portsmouth.  In  the 
summer  of  167(1,  it  is  thought  flnt  many  who  had  been  amctijjf  the 
Indians  in  the  war,  came  to  these  tribes  and  caused  much  of  the 
trouble  which  .  isued.  The  day  before  Philip's  death  the  ludians 
fell  upon  the  settlci  h  at  Falmouth,  and  killed  or  carried  away  some 
tt)irty-four  persons  and  burr'^  their  houses.  Further  eastward  also 
)he  settlements  were  attacked.  It  was  upon  these  occasions  that 
Capt.  Hnthorn's  force  was  sent  to  these  parts.  They  marched  on 
from  Dover  on  September  8th,  as  far  as  Falmouth,  Capt.  Hunting's 
Indians  scouting  the  woods.  This  expedition  was  not  of  much 
avail,  as  the  Indians  easily  eluded  the  troo[)8,  being  only  war  parties 
without  the  encumbrance  of  women  and  children. 

But  the  scope  of  this  review  of  events  did  not  contemplate'  the 
detailed  account  of  affairs  which  have  already  been  related  in  tl*- 
body  of  the  work,  of  which  this  pamphlet  is  a  brief  summary,  but 
to  give  a  consecutive  account  for  the  convenience  of  readers. 


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